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ILO Slams Canadian Government For Postal Worker Back-to-Work Legislation

OTTAWA, April 2, 2013 /CNW/ - The Canadian Union of Postal
Workers (CUPW) welcomes the International Labour Organization
(ILO) decision finding that the back-to-work legislation imposed on
Canadian postal workers in June 2011 was unjustified as postal services
do not constitute essential services. The ILO is the United
Nations agency responsible for drawing up and overseeing international
labour standards.

"This is a wonderful victory for the CUPW and the entire Canadian labour
movement," said CUPW National President Denis Lemelin.

The ILO decision found that the right to strike is a fundamental right
as it is the "essential means through which workers and their
organizations may promote and defend their economic and social
interests". The ILO points out that the right to strike can only be
restricted when employees are engaged in essential services and when
the disruption would threaten public health or safety. It noted that
postal services do not fall under the definition of "essential
services".

"The ILO decision is clear," said Lemelin. "The right to strike is a
fundamental right and, in the future, the Canadian government must
respect the rights of workers to negotiate and, if necessary, strike."

In its decision, the ILO also noted that CUPW and Canada Post
Corporation (CPC) had agreed on a protocol developed by the union
and CPC in conjunction with provincial, federal and territorial
governments to allow for the processing and distribution of
socio-economic cheques in the event of a disruption of service. The
ILO said that it was the lockout by Canada Post management that
"rendered respect for the minimum service protocol impossible". Instead
of passing back-to-work legislation, "the Government should have
limited its intervention to guaranteeing compliance with the negotiated
minimum services" protocol according to the ILO.